lapook76's Full Review: Dana Carpender - 500 Low-Carb Recipes: 500 Recipes...
Americans are getting fatter and fatter. Over the past decade, despite a heightened awareness of what is supposedly "healthy" for us to eat, the rate of obesity has climbed alarmingly. Why? Advocates of a low-carb diet claim that the reason is that in our enthusiasm to consume low-fat foods, we have unknowingly increased our consumption of carbohydrates. Excess carbs are then stored as fat in our bodies. So as we try to slim down, we just become bigger and bigger.
I was very skeptical about the low-carb craze (as I am about most things that seem like fads) until very recently. It just didn't seem like a very healthy way to live, and I couldn't imagine giving up pasta and rice. But I was sick of being overweight, even though I made such an effort to eat "healthfully." To me that meant a huge bowl full of rice with sauce and veggies or a heaping plate of pasta with a low-fat sauce. So, I decided to give the low-carb thing a try. I'll spare you all of the boring details of my new diet, but I will tell you that, a month and a half into it, I am losing weight consistently and have more energy than I have in a very long time.
So that brings me to my review of what I think is a fabulous low-carb cookbook: 500 Low-Carb Recipes; 500 Recipes from snacks to desert, that the whole family will love written by Dana Carpender.
I have bought several low-carb books since I began my diet, but I have found that this book has the most recipes that both appeal to my taste and are practical to make.
The Author
Dana Carpender wrote another book called How I Gave Up My Low Fat DIet and Lost Forty Pounds. She has a website at www.holdthetoast.com with some very useful information about leading a low-carb lifestyle, and also publishes an online newsletter called Lowcarbezine!.
I enjoy Carpender's style of writing in this book very much. The recipes have a conversational tone, and are interspersed with helpful tips and advice.
The Book
My copy of this book is softcover and has about 500 pages. I bought it at a Border's bookstore for $19.95. Sadly there are no photographs, which is too bad, because I love to see pictures of recipes before I try to cook them. The book lays flat enough on my kitchen counter that the pages do not fwap back when I am trying to read them.
The Contents
The book begins with some useful and interesting information about switching to a low-carb diet. Carpender talks about how and why she made the switch, how to use the book, how to carbs, foods to be careful of, and where to find specialty low-carb foods.
In the next chapter, Carpender discusses ingredients that are important to low-carb cooks. She talks about eggs, fats and oils, flour substitutes, liquids, vinegar, nuts and seeds, seasonings, sweeteners, vegetables, yeast, yogurt, and buttermilk.
The following chapters are: hors d'oeuvres and snacks; eggs and dairy; breads etc.; hot vegetable dishes; side dish salad;, chicken and turkey; fish; beef; pork and lamb; main dish salads; soups; condiments, seasonings, and sauces; and cookies, cakes and other sweets.
The last three sections of the book are about measurements, acknowledgments, and an index. The index is very thorough, which makes looking things up easier.
The Recipes
On to the most important part of the book!
The recipes are laid out one or two to a page. Each begins with a short introduction, then the ingredient list, then a numbered list of instructions. Each recipe includes the amount of carbs, fiber, and protein, and a count of "usable" carbs (carbs minus the fiber). Many recipes also include tips or substitution ideas at the end.
The directions are clear and to the point.
So far, my favorite recipe is the Skillet Chicken Florentine. I made it the other night, and it was very simple and incredibly tasty. Basically, one sautes chicken breasts, then leaves them to simmer for awhile on a bed of spinach, with garlic, cream, and parmesan cheese. Delicious. I made a batch of the Fried Brussels Sprouts to go with them. Whatever you might think of brussels sprouts, try this recipe and I guarantee you will enjoy them much more.
Some other great recipes:
Several variations on stuffed mushrooms that are very good: stuff them with olives and cream cheese, sausage and cream cheese, crab, cream cheese, and parmesan, tuna, turkey parmesan...
The New York Sunday Brunch Omelet, stuffed with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and scallions.
"Fauxtatoes" made with pureed cauliflower, cream, cream cheese, and butter.
Slice of Mushroom Heaven, which is kind of like a rich mushroom casserole with white wine, cream, eggs, and Gruyere cheese.
Several ways of cooking spaghetti sauce, including alfredo and carbonara.
Spicy Peanut Chicken.
Saltimbocca Gruyere made with chicken breasts, prosciutto, and Gruyere cheese.
Crispy Parmesan Fish.
Feta-Spinach Salmon Roast.
Hot-and-Sour Soup.
And many, many others
I have yet to try any of the desserts listed in this book, but they do sound good. Some examples: peanut butter brownies, butter-pecan cheesecake, Flan, and chocolate mousse.
The final word
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in trying out a low-carb diet. These recipes are delicious and will not intimidate you.In fact, when you see how appealing they are, you will not miss the carbs. Imagine being able to eat liberal amounts of butter, olive oil, cheese, and cream without guilt! If that appeals to you, give this book a try.
Carpender, owner of Hold the Toast Inc. and publisher of Lowcarbezine, offers 500 recipes for everything from cocktails to cheesecake.More at Buy.com Marketplaces
Health and Healing - Weight Control Cooking & Cookbooks - Dana Carpender is the best-selling author of 500 Low-Carb Recipes, 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipe...More at Barnes and Noble
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.